Apparatus for crimping yarn

ABSTRACT

In the crimping of yarns, turns of yarn are wrapped around the wider end of a substantially conical forming surface and are advanced towards the smaller end. The forming surface is defined by a plurality of annularly spaced blades. Crimping elements are engaged in the spaces between the spaced blades so that the turns of yarn are caused to assume an undulating path as they advance to the smaller end.

United States Patent [19] Hole 5 APPARATUS FOR CRIMPING YARN [75] Inventor: Frederick William Hole, Devon,

Tiverton, England Assignee: John Heathcoat & Co. Limited,

Hole 2.8/1.8

Tiverton, Devon, England Mar. 31, 1971 Canada..................................

[22] Filed:

3 Primary Examiner-Robert R. Mackey 21 Appl. No.: 129,808

Attorney-Brumbaugh, Graves, Donohue & Raymond [30] Foreign Application Priority Data ln the crimping of yarns, turns of yarn are wrapped ABSTRACT Apr. 3, 1970 Great Britain........... [5,822/70 23/13 around the wider end of a substantially conical formoz 1 14 ing surface and are advanced towards the smaller end.

23/13 1 8 721.1 v The forming surface is defined by a plurality of annu- 28/72 15 larly spaced blades. Crimping elements are engaged in the spaces between the spaced blades so that the turns [51] Int. [58] Field of Search.....................

[56] References Cited of yarn are caused to assume an undulating path as UNITED STATES PATENTS they advance to the smaller end.

2,321,757 6/l943 28/1.8 3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures a lf PATENTED um 30 I975 SHEET 2 BF 2 FIG. 2

APPARATUS FOR CRIMPING YARN BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the invention is to provide an improved way of making crinkle yarns from any deformable, settable precursor material in the form of a filament, bundle or filament yarns or ribbon.

According to the invention, there is provided a method of crimping yarns wherein turns of yarn are warpped around the wider end of a substantially conical forming surface defined by the edges of a plurality of spaced blades and are advanced towards the smaller end of the forming surface, the turns of yarn being caused by elements engaged in the spaces between the blades to assume an undulatingpath while advancing towards the smaller end of the forming surface whereby the yarn is crimped.

It will be understood that the expression yarn as used herein includes, where its context so permits, filaments, bundlesof filaments or ribbons.

According to another aspect of the invention, thereis provided an apparatus for crimping yarns comprising a former including a plurality of angularly spaced blades arranged so that the'edges co-operate to define a substantially conical forming surface, means for wrapping turns of yarn around the wider end of the former, means for advancing the said turns of yarn over the forming surface towards the smaller end of the former, and elements meshing in the spaces between the blades whereby the turns of yarn are caused to follow an undulating path as they advance toward the smaller end of the former. v

In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises'a cone member which has a forming surface which is externally slotted to provide a plurality of blades running from the base of the cone member toward its narrower end, a plurality of vanes engaged between the blades, but arranged so that yarn can pass between the blades and the vanes, means for wrapping yarns around the larger end of the cone member, a stuffer member arranged to reciprocate axially of the cone member to push yarn wrapped around the large end of the cone member into the spaces between the vanes and the blades in the cone member whereby successive wraps of yarn are advanced toward the smaller end of the cone member thereby to crimp the yarn, and means for heating turns of yarn travelling on the forming surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an apparatus according to the'invention, 1 7

FIG. 2 is'a perspective view of the same apparatus, part of the apparatus being broken away,

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the operation of a stuffer member forming part of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The drawings illustrate a crimping apparatus comprising a hollow shaft 1 which carries a crimp former cone member 2. The external surface of the cone member is slotted as at 2b to provide a plurality of blades or flutes running from the base of the cone toward the small end of the cone. The shaft 1 is surrounded beneath the cone by a bearing 3. A pusher or stuffer member 4 is slidable on this bearing member 3 under I blades 4a which are slidably received in slots 2a formed in the base ends of the flutes 2c.

Above the cone member 2 are bearings 6 which support a second and rotatable shaft 7. These bearings 6 are enclosed in a housing 8. The housing 8 has a skirt 9 which encloses a plurality of vanes 10 which are engaged in the slots 2b in the cone member 2. The vanes 10 do not close the slots (see FIG. 3) so that room is left for yarn to pass between the slots and the vanes. As illustrated, the cone member 2, on the one hand, and the skirt 9 and vanes 10, on the other, are held in fixed, non-rotational relation to one another.

A flyer 11 is connected to the rotatable shaft 7, in a conventional manner and is arranged to wrap a yarn Y around the larger end of the cone member 2. The yarn may be pre-shrunk before it is wrapped on the cone member 2.

A heater 12 is embedded in the cone member as shown in FIG. 2; alternatively, hot gas or steam may be admitted to the inside of the housing 9.

The yarn Y which is wrapped around the cone member 2 is pushed between the vanes 10 and the flutes 2c in the cone member'Z. To that end, the stuffer member 4 isreciprocated on the bearing 3 at an appropriately lower speed than the rotational speed of the flyer 11. For example, the reciprocation speed may be approximately one half the flyer speed. As successive turns or wraps of yarn are made, they are advanced by the pressure of the stuffer member .4 and one wrap is pushed against the next wrap as the various wraps are advanced towards the small end of the cone member. By the time the yarn reaches the smaller end of the cone member, it is held in a tight saw tooth crinkle by the flutes and vanes.

The crimped yarn is withdrawn through the interior of the hollow shaft II. If desired, the cone member 2 and/or the housing 9 may be vibrated to prevent the yarn from binding between the two cones.

Y I claim:

1. An apparatus for crimping yarns comprising:

a cone member having a forming surface which is externally slotted to provide a plurality of blades running from the base of the cone member towards its smaller end;

means, mounted in substantially non-rotational relation to the cone member, defining a plurality of vanes engaged in the slots between the blades, said vanes being arranged in the slots so as to provide spaces between the vanes and the slot walls through which yarn can pass;

means mounted for rotation relative to the cone member for successively wrapping turns of yarn around'the larger end of the cone member;

a a stuffer member arranged to reciprocate axially of the cone member to push yarn wrapped around the larger end of the cone member into the spaces between the vanes and the slot walls, whereby successive turns of yarn are advanced along the forming surface toward the smaller end of the cone member thereby to crimp the yarn;

means for heating turns of yarn travelling on the forming surface; and

means for withdrawal of the crimped yarn from between the vanes and the cone member.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein: smaller end of the cone member.

the cone member is carried on a first shaft;

the stuffer member is slidably mounted on the first shaft for movement towards and away from the larger end of the cone member; and 5 memberthe vanes are carried by a second shaft adjacent the 3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the heating means comprises a heater arranged in the cone 

1. An apparatus for crimping yarns comprising: a cone member having a forming surface which is externally slotted to provide a plurality of blades running from the base of the cone member towards its smaller end; means, mounted in substantially non-rotational relation to the cone member, defining a plurality of vanes engaged in the slots between the blades, said vanes being arranged in the slots so as to provide spaces between the vanes and the slot walls through which yarn can pass; means mounted for rotation relative to the cone member for successively wrapping turns of yarn around the larger end of the cone member; a stuffer member arranged to reciprocate axially of the cone member to push yarn wrapped around the larger end of the cone member into the spaces between the vanes and the slot walls, whereby successive turns of yarn are advanced along the forming surface toward the smaller end of the cone member thereby to crimp the yarn; means for heating turns of yarn travelling on the forming surface; and means for withdrawal of the crimped yarn from between the vanes and the cone member.
 2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the cone member is carried on a first shaft; the stuffer member is slidably mounted on the first shaft for movement towards and away from the larger end of the cone member; and the vanes are carried by a second shaft adjacent the smaller end of the cone member.
 3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the heating means comprises a heater arranged in the cone member. 